ED HAGLUND (2014 election)

I, Ed Haglund, was born in Scotland and grew up on Nelson Street, Fourth Street East, Mosher Avenue, Faries Avenue, and Fourth Street West.
I learned to swim at Joe Bolzan and Tim Harley’s dock on the river and learned to enjoy gardening from George Ross of G.H. Ross Co. and Mabel Flinders of Flinders Dairy.
My greatest youthful fun was racing our pet dogs with homemade bobsleds with the J.J.s on Eighth Street. I attended the old Robert Moore School and old Fort High. My first job was as a carrier for the Fort Frances Times, and I had 80 customers. Then I delivered the Daily Journal with two smaller routes.
I got my first adult job as an MNR firefighter at age 15. I got it because I looked 16. At 16 years old, I cut pulp at the Upper Manitou and worked my first horse cutting logs at Sapawe.
At age 17, I joined the Canadian Navy to be a cook on a destroyer but ended up hunting Russian subs on an aircraft carrier.
I returned to Fort Frances in 1964 and went to work constructing the add-on to the old Rainycrest, then later rejoined the O&M in finishing, with 37 years as a spare boss machine tender.
Rosemary and I have been married since centennial year (1967) and have two children, Ashlyn Anne and Stephen Michael.
During the year, I have volunteered with Beavers, Girl Guides, and Aquanauts, and built the first play gym at St. Michael’s School. I also served 20 years with the Sea Cadets, 15 of those as a reservist (DND).
I also have been a member of the La Verendrye Hospital Auxiliary, Fort Francs Sportsmen’s Club, and Northwest Community Legal Clinic board.
As a Legion member, I have served as service office, public relations officer, vice-president, sergeant-at-arms, poppy chairman, 50/50 draw chairman, and branch president.
I received my 50 years of service medal this year, and achieved my goal of reaching 70 blood donations before my 70th birthday.
If elected, I would first request a forensic audit be held and request the provincial government to assist financially.
Some candidates feel this type of audit is to put blame on someone. This is not true—this type of audit is not to check the numbers but to audit the whole operation.
When a virus goes wild in a hospital, the cleaning is stepped up. When people are getting sick or dying, a forensic medical team is brought in to check everything from the airflow to all of the equipment used in the total operation.
When it comes to economic development, the town must stop wasting taxpayers’ money. If the town’s facing a $1.8-million budget shortfall, we’re in a bankruptcy status.
Let the developers do their business and the town do theirs—which is infrastructure, sewer, water, roads, power, health, welfare, and fire and police protection.
The long-term town plan has to be acceptable to the residents to be successful.